Frontline report: Ukrainian ATGMs shatter Russian tank column in failed Siversk offensive in Donetsk Oblast

Today there are a lot of updates from the Siversk direction, Donetsk Oblast.

Here, after the previous disastrous assault, the Russians decided to change their vector of attack and launched a new massive assault, this time from the northern flank of Ivano-Darivka. 

In spite of strong pressure from another large Russian mechanized assault, the Ukrainian fighters of the 54th Mechanized Brigade took lessons from the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade and organized a multilayered defense meant to repulse anticipated Russian assaults.

Last time I told you how Russian mechanized assault south of Ivano-Darivka resulted in heavy losses of personnel, tanks, and armored vehicles, leaving many wounded soldiers stranded in the grey zone. It seems like the Russian command figured that the main flaw in their assault was the elevated Ukrainian defensive positions above the village, rendering further attacks in this direction impractical.

That is why Russian forces launched a second wave of assaults along the elevated platfrom north of Ivano-Darivka, advancing from the Lysychansk Oil Refinery, where they had amassed numerous armored vehicles for the attack. 

This route aimed to reduce losses by positioning Russian mechanized units on the same elevation as Ukrainian defenders, hoping to reach and capture their positions. 

To preserve an element of surprise, Russian forces avoided heavy artillery and aerial bombardment of the Ukrainian positions, which later proved problematic.

The anticipated element of surprise failed, as Ukrainian commanders had already expected an assault along the elevated funnel. With only one dirt road leading from the main Russian positions at the Lysychansk Oil Refinery, Ukrainians were prepared to concentrate drone strikes and ATGM operators on this narrow corridor to repel the assaults. 

Additionally, the narrowing down of the funnel to about one kilometer in width limited Russian maneuverability during the attack, making it easy for Ukrainian forces to detect and strike. 

Combat footage shows that the Russians launched a substantial mechanized assault with eleven armored vehicles and over a hundred soldiers. However, they encountered issues before reaching Ukrainian positions, as Ukrainian forces identified and destroyed Russian tanks and BMPs with Stugna-P ATGMs. 

Most Russian armored losses were due to ATGM strikes—a rare occurrence, as FPV drones typically cause the majority of losses nowadays. This was likely due to the Russians’ failure to organize a coherent artillery and air support on Ukrainian positions, as alluded to by Russian sources. Standard Russian military protocols suggest that artillery should suppress most ATGM positions before an assault but due to the lack of coordination this did not happen.

Russian vehicles that were out of ATGM range were targeted by FPV drones, effectively forcing the remaining troops to retreat to whatever trenches and dugouts they found nearby. 

Ukrainian forces then deployed Mavic drones armed with grenades to eliminate Russian infantry who continued the assault, sparing only those fleeing the area. This worsened the situation for Russian forces, as disorganized stormtroopers from the damaged BMPs—many wounded—were scattered across open fields, hiding in abandoned and scattered dugouts and trenches. 

Overall, despite previous failure, the Russians once again restarted their mechanized assaults towards Ivano-Darivka, resulting in heavy losses with many disorganized and wounded survivors of the assault left in grey zone. The number of Russian troops scattered across the fields near Ivano-Darivka, including wounded, is estimated to be up to a hundred. 

This assault and the previous one in Siversk direction met severe media backlash in Russia by their military analysts, who criticized the commanders in the area and called for their dismissal for their inability to organize offensive operations. This led to heavy losses in tanks and BMPs by Ukrainian ATGM crews, which not only prevented the Russian mechanized units from making any territorial gains, but also reduced the chances of success of any subsequent attacks due to the deterioration of combat readiness of the broken units.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.